266
One of the most important sites of manatee occurrence in the country is the
Magdalena river basin, mainly the marsh known as Ciénaga de Paredes, in Santander
state, indicated by Montoya-Ospina et al. (2001) as the largest available habitat for
the species in Colombia. After this report, considerable efforts to study the species
in this and other basins were initiated. In the middle Orinoco river, CastelblancoMartínez et al. (2009) made an important effort to study the species from 2001 to
2005, through sightings and interviews with local people. Over 800 manatee sightings were recorded in 1003 h of direct observation. The study was conducted in
Department of Vichada, in Orinoquía Region, in the border with Venezuela, approximately 1100 km from the Caribbean coast.
In addition, in the middle and lower Atrato river, Caicedo-Herrera et al. (2004)
established the T. manatus distribution through sightings, interviews and indirect
records, as feces observation and evidence of foraging. Most records were in ciénagas and in Atrato river. Only one sighting was recorded, in Ciénaga La Grande.
Ninety evidences of foraging and 17 recent sightings reported by fishermen during
interviews were used to identify most important occurrence sites.
11.2.2 Venezuela
In eastern Venezuela, T. manatus occurs in the Gulf of Paria, the middle Orinoco
river and its tributaries, the Orionoco Delta and the Venezuelan Llanos (Boher and
Porras 1991; Lefebvre et al. 2001; Mondolfi and Muller 1979; O’Shea et al. 1988).
In the west of the country, the species occurs in the Maracaibo system, comprised of
the Gulf of Venezuela, Tablazo Bay and the Maracaibo Strait, which connect Lake
Maracaibo in the interior of the Maracaibo Basin, to the Caribbean Sea. Additionaly,
there are records of manatees in Limón river and channels south of São Carlos
Island, and Ciénaga Juan Manuel de Aguas Claras y Aguas Negras.
According to O’Shea et al. (1988) interviews in Venezuela indicated that a small
manatee population exists in Maracaibo Lake and the swamps bordering the lake.
Interviews also revealed the presence of manatees in Manatí Lake and rivers
Escalate, Catumbo and Bravo. After this research, there was little effort to study
manatee in the system. Manzanilla-Fuentes (2007) reported 27 sightings of manatee
in Tablazo Bay, including solitary animals and groups of up to four animals. Some
stranded and rescued animals were also reported for the area (Boede and MujicaJorquera 2016; Ramírez-Carroz and Manzanilla-Fuentes 2008).
O’Shea et al. (1988) indicated that the species did not occur in the Caribbean
coast due to inadequate ecological characteristics, representing a major discontinuity in the species distribution (Lefebvre et al. 2001). However, some rare records
were reported in the mouth of Neverí river (Ojeda et al. 1993) and in Puerto Cabello
(Delgado 1995).
Manatees seem to be more abundant in eastern Venezuela. For this reason, there
are more studies published for this region. In the middle Orinoco, in the border with
Colombia, the species has been studied for several years by the Colombian
A.C.O. de Meirelles et al.
One of the most important sites of manatee occurrence in the country is the
Magdalena river basin, mainly the marsh known as Ciénaga de Paredes, in Santander
state, indicated by Montoya-Ospina et al. (2001) as the largest available habitat for
the species in Colombia. After this report, considerable efforts to study the species
in this and other basins were initiated. In the middle Orinoco river, CastelblancoMartínez et al. (2009) made an important effort to study the species from 2001 to
2005, through sightings and interviews with local people. Over 800 manatee sightings were recorded in 1003 h of direct observation. The study was conducted in
Department of Vichada, in Orinoquía Region, in the border with Venezuela, approximately 1100 km from the Caribbean coast.
In addition, in the middle and lower Atrato river, Caicedo-Herrera et al. (2004)
established the T. manatus distribution through sightings, interviews and indirect
records, as feces observation and evidence of foraging. Most records were in ciénagas and in Atrato river. Only one sighting was recorded, in Ciénaga La Grande.
Ninety evidences of foraging and 17 recent sightings reported by fishermen during
interviews were used to identify most important occurrence sites.
11.2.2 Venezuela
In eastern Venezuela, T. manatus occurs in the Gulf of Paria, the middle Orinoco
river and its tributaries, the Orionoco Delta and the Venezuelan Llanos (Boher and
Porras 1991; Lefebvre et al. 2001; Mondolfi and Muller 1979; O’Shea et al. 1988).
In the west of the country, the species occurs in the Maracaibo system, comprised of
the Gulf of Venezuela, Tablazo Bay and the Maracaibo Strait, which connect Lake
Maracaibo in the interior of the Maracaibo Basin, to the Caribbean Sea. Additionaly,
there are records of manatees in Limón river and channels south of São Carlos
Island, and Ciénaga Juan Manuel de Aguas Claras y Aguas Negras.
According to O’Shea et al. (1988) interviews in Venezuela indicated that a small
manatee population exists in Maracaibo Lake and the swamps bordering the lake.
Interviews also revealed the presence of manatees in Manatí Lake and rivers
Escalate, Catumbo and Bravo. After this research, there was little effort to study
manatee in the system. Manzanilla-Fuentes (2007) reported 27 sightings of manatee
in Tablazo Bay, including solitary animals and groups of up to four animals. Some
stranded and rescued animals were also reported for the area (Boede and MujicaJorquera 2016; Ramírez-Carroz and Manzanilla-Fuentes 2008).
O’Shea et al. (1988) indicated that the species did not occur in the Caribbean
coast due to inadequate ecological characteristics, representing a major discontinuity in the species distribution (Lefebvre et al. 2001). However, some rare records
were reported in the mouth of Neverí river (Ojeda et al. 1993) and in Puerto Cabello
(Delgado 1995).
Manatees seem to be more abundant in eastern Venezuela. For this reason, there
are more studies published for this region. In the middle Orinoco, in the border with
Colombia, the species has been studied for several years by the Colombian
A.C.O. de Meirelles et al.